GENRES IN CONVERSATION

Reflective Writing Informative Writing Analytical Writing Evaluative Writing Problem-Solving Writing Argumentative Writing

Rising rates of obesity and greater access to technology have sparked interest in fitness apps for weight loss. As a student, you are likely juggling classes, a job, volunteer work, your social life, and maybe even a family, all while trying to stay healthy. While researching the best gadgets to keep you on track, you come across an online article, a government blog, and a video review. These three examples illustrate how different genres can be used to accomplish the same purpose.

Online Article
This online article from the Popular Mechanics Web site, the author compares the effectiveness of fitness trackers and games vs. exercising with a professional personal trainer.
Government Blog
This government blog post by the Georgia Department of Public Health quotes health experts and cites recent studies evaluating mobile health apps
Video Review
In this video review, judges rate two fitness technology devices according to five unique criteria, capturing the interest of a general audience by framing their evaluation as a prizefight boxing match.

Thinking About Genre

  1. Question

    Evaluative writing involves making judgments on a subject according to a specific set of criteria. Which criteria do these documents share in their evaluations of fitness technology?

  2. Question

    When writing to evaluate, it is important to present a fair and balanced assessment that doesn’t alienate readers who may have a different perspective. What strategies do the writers of these documents use to convey judgment without bias?

  3. Question

    Effective evaluations depend on how well the writers understand their readers’ expectations. How do expectations differ among the audiences of each of these documents? How do these expectations shape the criteria each writer uses?
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